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Summary List of stories Phase I Day: Honor, Duty, And Family << chapter 6 Chapter 7 of 75 Of What Is Yet To Come chapter 8 >> << previous scene Scene 1 of 2 next scene >> Location Participants Time Summary Prologue | Phase I | Phase II | Epilogue 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 31 | 32 | 33 | 34 | 35 | 36 | 37 | 38 | 39 | 40 | 41 | 42 | 43 | 44 | 45 46 | 47 | 48 | 49 | 50 | 51 | 52 | 53 | 54 | 55 | 56 | 57 | 58 | 59 | 60 61 | 62 | 63 | 64 | 65 | 66 | 67 | 68 | 69 | 70 | 71 | 72 | 73 | 74 | 75 Text Sleipnir grinned cheerfully, seated at a long table in the yard behind the house at Sweet Apple Acres, Big Mac on one side of the male and Scrivener on the other as Luna smiled cheerfully across at her brother. There was quite a gathering here, taking advantage of the unseasonably warm and dry day: among the others in attendance were Celestia, the Pink Twins, the Apple Family, Scarlet Sage, Twilight Sparkle, Rarity and Spike, Fluttershy, and Ross and Cowlick. Discombobulation was also present, moodily standing near a second table littered with food beside a half-dozing Phooka, a horribly-grouchy look on the Draconequus's face and a baby carrier with Antares in it hanging over his front. Antares, at least, was snoozing quietly despite the cheerful and boisterous conversation, and Sleipnir laughed as he threw a forelimb around both Big Mac and Scrivener, half-throttling both stallions as he said jubilantly: "A meal shared by friends in the middle of the afternoon, 'tis delightful! I am only sorry that Kvasir felt his time was better spent in the library... I again wish to thank both of thee, Twilight Sparkle and Celestia, for permitting the silly creature lodgings there." "And again, brother, you're always welcome to stay in the library too." Celestia replied with a smile, but Sleipnir only snorted in entertainment, and the rainbow-maned equine gave him a look of amusement. "You really haven't changed at all, have you?" "Not one bit." Sleipnir said cheerfully, and then he let go of both stallions to reach forwards and pick up his plate, making most of the table stare as he rose it in front of his face and loudly slurped up the last of the dressing and salad. Then he sighed in relief and dropped it, looking complacent as Luna laughed, Pinkie Pie giggled, and Apple Bloom hid a grin behind her hooves. "Oh, 'tis even better than Valhalla! Surrounded by pretty mares and family and friends! Aye, who could ask for more?" "You're a funny stallion." Ross said kindly, the white unicorn smiling across at Sleipnir with something like fascination, and Cowlick snorted as she slapped the unicorn stallion lightly on the shoulder, making him cock his head curiously, turning his inquisitive amber eyes to her. "Did I say something wrong?" "Not at all, hot stuff, just don't go imitating that big lug there too much. You're already plenty handsome as it is." Cowlick replied in an amused voice, gently brushing Ross's blond mane back before she returned her eyes to Sleipnir as the male leaned forwards and grinned at her. "And you stop looking at me like that. Please note that I already have a handsome stud of my own right here." Sleipnir only winked, however, saying kindly: "'Tis true, perhaps, but I do not think he would mind sharing, now would thou, Ross?" "Nope." Ross said cheerfully, and then Cowlick laughed and slapped his foreleg lightly, and Ross smiled as well, his eyes bright and happy as he looked over at her: sometimes it was hard to understand how much the unicorn himself understood, but one thing was always clear... Ross was happiest whenever he was making other ponies happy, especially the mare he loved, and there wasn't a single ounce of cruelty in his heart. Sleipnir nodded firmly at this, and then his eyes roved towards the Pink Twins, grinning wider... before he leaned back when Pinkamena picked up the knife beside her, pointing it at him threateningly as she shoved her twin sister back in her seat. "Don't even say it, or this is going right into your face." "Would thou really ruin my handsome features? I would never harm thine own fair face, beautiful maiden!" Sleipnir said in an injured voice, and Pinkamena only looked at him sourly before he rose a hoof and grinned: "But if thou art worried that there will not be enough of me to go around, then I would be more than glad to-" "Okay, enough, there are foals at the table." Applejack said flatly, rubbing at her pregnant, growing-larger belly, and both Scarlet Sage and Apple Bloom looked less-than-thrilled as Sleipnir huffed as well. "Besides, ain't exactly the best of manners." "My brother has never been particularly well-mannered." Celestia said mildly, glancing over at Sleipnir, and the male replied by blowing a raspberry at his older sibling as Luna giggled like a child. "Thank you for demonstrating, Sleipnir, I'm sure we all appreciated that." "I did!" Rainbow Dash said cheerfully, holding up a hoof, and then he grinned over at the enormous earth pony, adding: "I gotta say, you're way more fun that I imagined you'd be. Also, you're kind of like the size of a dragon. Not you, Spike, a real dragon, he's way bigger than you." "Nice, Dash, real nice." Spike said flatly, as Rarity smiled despite herself and leaned back against him, giving him an entertained look, and the dragon gave her a pleading one in return. "Oh, not you too!" Sleipnir, meanwhile, was grinning over at Rainbow, leaning on an elbow as he asked kindly: "Art thou flirting with me in front of thy wife? My, usually it was the other way around, wives flirting with me in front of their husbands. This is a fun change of pace." Rainbow's jaw dropped as Applejack sighed and there were a few laughs around the table, before Sleipnir suddenly pushed himself backwards and hopped to his hooves, stomping them firmly and declaring cheerfully: "And now that the meal is over, we should all play a game! Or wrestle! Or see how many pretty mares can fit into that storage shed with me!" "Oh, Sleipnir, thou always were ever-persevering." Luna said kindly, and then she laughed and pushed herself away from the table as well, grinning slightly over at Celestia. "Big sister, I have yet to bring a proper revenge upon Sleipnir's head for knocking me out a few days ago after he had clearly lost-" "'Twas no mortal blow! Thy horn would have only pierced to my heart, and my heart is made from the stuff that dragons wish they were made from!" Sleipnir said firmly, slapping a hoof against his own broad chest before he looked meditatively towards Spike as the dragon winced a little. "Does thou not wish thou wert as brave and brawny as me?" "Uh. Maybe?" Spike said after a moment, leaning awkwardly back, and Sleipnir nodded firmly once before he grinned lecherously as he leaned in towards Rarity, but Spike winced a little as he squeezed the unicorn mare's shoulders, adding hurriedly: "But you know, one day I'll probably be bigger and stronger than you, too!" "Bigger, aye. Stronger, nay." Sleipnir winked and rose a foreleg, flexing it firmly as he kissed the bulge of muscle before laughing and then looking gleefully over at Celestia as she stood up from the table. "Well, how unexpected! Answering our little sister's sordid pleas for help, art thou?" Luna glared at him, but Celestia only smiled, looking around the table as she asked: "How many of you would be interested in playing, say... rugby, with myself and my brother?" The ponies looked surprised at this, but Luna bounced gleefully as Scrivener Blooms winced a bit and rubbed at his face, and Rainbow Dash waved a hoof wildly through the air as Pinkie Pie bounced happily. Slowly, other hooves rose up, and Celestia smiled around at the group as Cowlick lounged back and said dryly: "You guys have fun. Me, I'm pretty brash most of the time, but even I ain't stupid enough to get myself mixed up in this." "You're just being a pansy, Cowlick. Come on, you're about as girly as I am." Rainbow retorted, and then he grinned across at Sleipnir with a wink. "I'm the best damn athlete in Ponyville, after all." "Only 'cause I'm knocked up right now." Applejack said flatly, and Rainbow shrugged innocently before the goldenrod mare sighed and reached up to adjust her cowboy hat, glancing at Big Mac as the red stallion stood hesitantly up, an apprehensive look on his face. "Oh come on, I'm sure it won't be that bad. I wish I could play myself, but well... I ain't in a right state for games right now, am I?" "Excellent. Then I desire Apple Bloom, Scarlet Sage, and the pretty twins on my team. Thou may have the rest." Sleipnir said after a moment, flicking his hoof before he smiled at Fluttershy, who was still apprehensively sitting in her seat. "Unless thou wants to play too. Thou can be on my side as well." "Oh no, I'm... fine." Fluttershy murmured after a moment, blushing a little as Pinkie Pie and Pinkamena traded looks, one giggling and the other looking grumpy. Apple Bloom and Scarlet Sage, meanwhile, traded their own look of surprise before the silver Pegasus waved a hoof awkwardly, attracting Sleipnir's attention. "We uh. Didn't say we wanted to play." Scarlet Sage said after a moment, and when Sleipnir only looked at the two pointedly, they both traded a look before sighing, mumbling: "Well, Red, at least we're on the same team." Sleipnir nodded firmly, striding out into the field behind the house, with the others following, as Celestia's own team assembled: Luna, Scrivener, Rainbow Dash, and Big Mac. For a moment, the ivory winged unicorn surveyed them all, and then she nodded once, saying kindly: "Do not go easy on my brother, and do not underestimate him if you want to win. Sleipnir's always been fond of competition and sports like this. Oh, and we need a ball, as well..." "I'll get one!" Rainbow grinned, flapping his wings and easily taking to the air to zoom off towards the shed, adding cheerfully to himself: "And how hard can this really be, anyway, it's him and the kids and Pinkamena against a bunch of athletes." But within the first few minutes of play, Rainbow Dash quickly came to understand that they were in for an uphill battle, shocked to find out that Sleipnir wasn't simply strong: he was fast, graceful, and easily coordinated his team, even Pinkamena listening to the massive stallion's quick commands. And at the same time, the ponies on Celestia's own team were amazed to see a different side of Celestia, as were those on the sidelines, Twilight watching with awe at the way Celestia bulled through the field to slam directly into Sleipnir with her teeth grit, the two enormous equines shoving at each other and ripping up the grass as Celestia cursed and pushed forwards: this was no untouchable princess or distant queen, but a pony, like any one of them, engaged in a messy, full-contact game with her siblings. And it made Luna's heart soar to see, as Celestia and Sleipnir pushed against one another before the brother finally began to gain ground, laughing as he bulled forwards before throwing her backwards and simply charging over her. Ponies gaped in shock, but Celestia was up on her hooves in moments, stained with grass and mud and yelling orders to the others, and Luna and Scrivener both barreled into Sleipnir's way as the others recovered from their amazed shock... but Sleipnir only plowed past the two and knocked them both sprawling, laughing and scoring another point for his team as he paraded into the end zone before he turned around with brightly-gleaming eyes, shouting cheerfully: "And when did thou become a Valkyrie again instead of a preening throne?" "Not too long ago, Sleipnir." Celestia smiled despite herself, her amethyst eyes glinting before she cracked her neck as she added calmly: "Don't worry, I have every intent of showing clearly just what a Valkyrie is capable of." "Excellent." Sleipnir grinned widely, winking at her and looking gleeful. His excitement seemed to only add to his already boundless-supplies of energy, and Sleipnir gladly headed his team, leading them down the field on charge after charge, crashing through ponies like pins, sometimes leaping gracefully over figures even as large as Celestia. Once, Rainbow Dash and Luna both managed to hit Sleipnir at the same time in midair, tackling him backwards and slamming him to the ground, but Sleipnir had hurriedly thrown the ball wildly backwards even as they both scrambled for it. Then, when Rainbow had tried to lunge after it, Sleipnir had caught him by the ankles and swung him like a baseball bat into Luna, knocking them both flat and stunning Scrivener Blooms. Discombobulation was now watching with a great amount of amusement from the sidelines as Antares stared with awe, the toddler flailing his hooves a little and entranced by both the rapid movement across the field and the sounds of ponies shouting, crashing into each other, and skidding through the grass. He had almost the same expression on his face as Twilight Sparkle had on her own, as Fluttershy smiled a bit, absently petting the Phooka sitting beside her as she said softly: "They're all so happy... it's amazing." Then Celestia and Sleipnir crashed together like a tidal wave slamming into a rocky cliff, and the two enormous equines shoved against one another before Sleipnir suddenly ducked and hauled Celestia over his shoulders, making her shout in surprise before he charged gleefully back through the fields and threw her hard down onto her back, her rainbow mane and tail both sparking and sizzling outwards as she twitched on the ground and Sleipnir leaned over her with a wide grin and a wink, saying kindly: "My thanks to thee for holding the ball, sister, 'twould have been far too awkward to carry both it and thou at once." "I'm reminded of why so many times in the past I wanted to do serious bodily harm to you, Sleipnir." Celestia said moodily, grimacing a bit as she carefully began to sit up, but Sleipnir only laughed as he drew back and reached down to firmly haul the ivory mare up to her hooves. "You've always had a talent for being frustrating, though." "Aye, particularly to thou. I have also always had a way with the mares." Sleipnir grinned cheerfully as he turned around, trotting easily back across the field and calling: "Excellent work, friends! Pinkamena, Apple Bloom, back to blocking position!" The game lasted another twenty minutes... and while they had numbers, strong athletes, and Celestia's sharp, strategic mind, Sleipnir's passion and the fact he never seemed to grow tired overwhelmed them all too quickly. And backed by Pinkie Pie, who didn't seem to entirely understand the rules but was also tireless and had a habit of slipping past even the most nimble of defenders, and Pinkamena, who once stopped a charging Big Mac with one hoof by seizing him by the head and slamming him face-first into the ground, as well as the younger mares, Sleipnir's team dominated by the end. Big Mac was still spitting mud, Luna and Scrivener were both rattled from being run over one-too-many times by Sleipnir, Celestia was covered in dirt and grass stains, and Rainbow had sprained a wing, staring stupidly at Sleipnir as he cheerfully bounced through the field and then said warmly: "That was a delightful warmup, wasn't it?" "What?" Rainbow Dash scrambled to his hooves as Celestia shot a sour look at her younger brother, before the blue Pegasus said finally: "You can't be serious. You just wore us all down into the ground!" Apple Bloom nodded in agreement as she leaned against Scarlet Sage, who had her own eyes closed, wheezing a little... and Sleipnir looked curiously back and forth before he brightened as Pinkie Pie bounced cheerfully around him in a circle, the bright pink pony saying exuberantly: "Yeah, but you're only as ever tired as you think you are, and I don't think I'm tired at all!" "You never get tired, sissy. Now stop bouncing around or I'll slap the energy out of you." Pinkamena muttered moodily, and Pinkie Pie huffed a bit as she halted, Sleipnir smiling warmly from one twin to the other before the half-demon looked sourly up at the stallion. "Don't get any ideas, you big stupid lout. Still, great work. Never imagined anypony would be able to get Princess Sunshine to take the enormous stick out of her ass." Sleipnir giggled stupidly at this, and Pinkamena sighed and rolled her eyes before she winced when the stallion wrapped a foreleg around her and pulled her into a half-hug, asking with a grin: "So, do I earn a victory kiss now?" Pinkamena glowered at him, baring her sharp teeth in response as her red-rimmed eyes flashed, and then she punched him firmly in the stomach, making the stallion wheeze a little as she shoved herself moodily away. "Kiss my flank. Besides, I thought you Asgard types didn't mix and mingle with us lowly half-demons?" "Half-demon? And here I thought thou were a full demon." Sleipnir said thoughtfully, but his tone made Pinkamena turn and look at him with surprise before the male grinned at her and winked. "I wonder if that makes thee more or less ferocious?" Pinkamena glared... and then a smile twitched at her muzzle before she turned away, and Sleipnir gazed after her for a moment with a grin before Discombobulation held up a hand and asked mildly: "Does anyone else see the romantic comedy starting? Well, as long as she doesn't eat his head after she's done." This got a particularly-nasty curse in response from Pinkamena even as she continued to walk away, and Celestia sighed and shook her head before her horn glowed as she bowed her head forwards, a swirl of light rolling along her body and leaving her coat pristine and clean. She smiled slightly at this... and then Sleipnir tackled her cheerfully onto her back and directly into a trench of mucky, torn-up grass, Celestia wincing in surprise before cursing in frustration as Sleipnir wrestled with her, gritting her teeth as Luna threw her head back and laughed. The others cleaned themselves up as best they could, congratulated each other on surviving more than winning or losing, and then watched as Celestia and Sleipnir wrestled and grappled, shortly joined by Luna. Applejack couldn't help but smile despite herself as she looked amusedly at her big brother, who smiled back at her and shrugged as Rainbow Dash whistled and Apple Bloom laughed from where she was still sitting close to Scarlet Sage. Sleipnir was like the energetic puppy that had never grown up, and the impact he had on his sisters was incredible: Luna became just as energetic, carefree and bouncy, and Celestia became loose, dropped what remained of the dignified mask she had always been forced to wear, and some old, almost-lost Celestia rose to the surface. Finally, the sisters succeeded in pummeling Sleipnir into the ground, leaving him laying prone for a few minutes. Celestia cleaned herself off again, while Luna simply walked over to Discombobulation and removed Antares from his carrier to let the foal happily roll around and scramble through the grasses, ignoring the grime splattered over her own body until Twilight finally cast a cleansing spell over the starry-maned winged unicorn, making her huff. Pinkie Pie happily bounced over to play with the foal as Scrivener helped Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy and Big Mac clean up, and Sleipnir revived himself with surprising rapidity to begin scurrying around the area, looking for Pinkamena. As evening began to fall, the ponies finally all went their separate ways: Fluttershy walked home with the Phooka following her loyally, Discombobulation vanished, Celestia and Sleipnir headed towards the forest instead of Ponyville, and Scrivener, Luna, and Twilight Sparkle joined the Pink Twins, Spike and Rarity on the walk back into town. Scarlet Sage, meanwhile, had already asked to spend time with Apple Bloom at the farm, promising to be back before it got too late... but Luna trusted in her daughter, and in Scarlet's ability to take care of herself. In Ponyville, the Pink Twins headed to Sugar Cube Corners, Rarity and Spike made their way towards the boutique, but Twilight Sparkle asked quietly if she could come out with them for the night. And Scrivener and Luna were glad to entertain her company, smiling and nodding, Antares half-asleep in the baby harness hanging from Scrivener's side as they made their way through the city gates and into the Everfree Forest. All was not quiet on the path, however: not long after they entered the woods, Luna felt a chill run along her spine. The darkness was deeper than it should be, even with clouds concealing the moon and the stars above, eating up the light cast from the glowing horns of the winged unicorn. Twilight clearly felt it too, as she looked slowly back and forth, before her eyes widened as something flickered in her vision at the edge of the forest... but a moment later, a voice whispered from the shadows: "It is only us, Lady Twilight... Mistress Luna, the forest is unsafe tonight..." Luna frowned as several Nightmares flickered into reality around them: what bothered her wasn't the presence of these dark shades, but rather the nervousness on their features. The last time they had been so afraid was when that unnatural thing Odin had ordered them to destroy had slipped into this reality... and she shook her head before asking calmly: "What is it?" "We do not know, sister..." one of the Nightmares murmured, and Luna grimaced a little at the term before the Nightmare looked ahead, adding worriedly: "It is in the forest. We think it is looking for you. It crawls, it slithers, it hisses. It is a treacherous foe. It is a dangerous foe." The winged unicorn snorted in distaste, glaring back and forth through the thick shadows as her horn glowed brighter, making the Nightmares wince back slightly as she muttered darkly: "I fear no monster. If it hunts for me, let it find me, I shall pummel it into oblivion." "But what of your child?" asked another of the Nightmares, and Luna growled even as she nodded, looking nervously at Scrivener Blooms and now-asleep Antares, the stallion grimacing as he glanced anxiously back at Luna as Twilight kept herself close to the male. Luna began to open her mouth... and then she fell silent as the Nightmares all looked sharply up at once, their eyes widening as there was a rumbling ahead before one of them whispered: "It sees through the darkness we have cast over the forest... it senses us despite our dampening... Mistress Luna, I..." "Get out of my way! I shan't let any monster threaten my family!" Luna snapped immediately, and the Nightmares all flinched before vanishing from sight, the grasses whispering as the invisible entities hurried into the forest. Ahead, there was another rumble, and Luna snarled before she shook her head grimly when Twilight began to step up beside her, saying curtly: "No. Thou must stay here with Scrivener, protect Antares in case the creature is not alone or seeks to harm my child!" Twilight nodded, and she could barely repress a shiver as Luna's mane and tail became like blue fire, her eyes glowing with her fury, her body trembling with malice: Scrivener's own features had hardened, glaring from behind his glasses, his pose raised and ready, and for a moment the violet mare was almost afraid of these two ponies for all her adoration of them before both she looked ahead as something emerged into the path. The thing seemed unnatural and synthetic, its body gleaming like metal. In sockets too large for its sunken eyes, glass-like orbs twisted back and forth before a gaze that was without pupil, without iris, and most of all without life or emotion locked on to them, and mandibles clicked rapidly as behind these, large, saw-toothed jaws fell open with a hiss. Luna flicked her horn with a snarl, and a ball of light shot upwards, casting an eerie glow over the area that better illuminated the beast: it had a thin body, large, broad shoulders, and long limbs ending in three large digits, a beetle-like carapace over its back that was almost too large for it, giving it a hunched look as it carried this forwards on long, thin legs ending in large talons. Its jaws clicked and clacked as it strode forwards, cocking its head back and forth as Luna stepped forwards and shouted: "Get away, monstrosity, this is the one warning I shall-" And then the beast rose one limb, and Luna's eyes widened in horror as the bug-like creature's claw became like liquid, twisting on itself before it spilled downwards and formed into a deadly, serrated crescent blade as it leapt forwards, still clicking soullessly away as dragonfly-like wings ripped out of its back, made of the same thin metal as it shot eagerly towards Luna- The winged unicorn snapped out of her daze a moment before it drew its scythe-like hand back, stepping forwards and flicking her horn with a snarl to send a burst of blue flames hammering into the monster, and the shapeshifter was knocked sprawling as the silvery metal that made up its frame charred to black, warped ruin. Yet it made no cries of pain even as it crashed down with a bang loud enough to awaken Antares, the baby whimpering before beginning to cry loudly, and Twilight looked towards the foal before instincts she didn't even know she had tore through her, sending up a warning as she looked to the other side and released a yell of terror at the sight of another shapeshifter scrabbling through the woods towards them, its lower body that of a monstrous centipede instead of bipedal legs as it clawed at the ground, soulless eyes locked on the ponies before Twilight snarled, her horn glowing as she concentrated. Vines and brambles tore up through the ground around the shapeshifter, locking into its limbs and around its body, and yet the monstrosity barely seemed to notice, continuing to try and scurry forwards as it clawed at the ground in front of itself and tried to drag free. Twilight staggered backwards at this, her eyes wide and fearful as a memory flashed through mind, and then Scrivener grabbed her and shouted clearly, stopping her from panicking: "Whatever these things are, they're not alive like you or me, you have to kill it!" Luna, meanwhile, lunged forwards as the shapeshifter began to get up, burying her horn through its features... and yet it barely twitched, the monster clacking loudly and spasming before it brought its arms out wide as smaller limbs tore up out of its chest, seizing into Luna's shoulders as its remaining claw became a deadly scythe as well, and the sapphire winged unicorn's eyes widened before she flicked her horn upwards with a wince when it swung both scythes in towards her sides, walls of sapphire energy forming to either side of her and deflecting the blades before Luna snarled and swung her head forwards, viciously headbutting the already-pierced features of the monstrosity and crunching in its skull, chunks of metal hailing down from the beast before she leapt backwards and swung a wild telekinetic blast into the shapeshifter. It was knocked sprawling on its back before Luna glanced sharply to the side as she heard a series of loud clanks as Twilight snapped her horn upwards, her teeth grit and eyes clenched shut as she poured all her energy into the spell before the shapeshifter could rip free of the vines. It was shuddering, trembling on the spot... before Twilight's horn flashed, and the spikes of rock that had buried through its body from below tore savagely upwards, the creature's entire lower body shattering apart into broken plates of brittle metal that melted into silvery liquid as its upper body fell to the ground. And then Twilight stared in horror as the shapeshifter looked up before deadly blades and barbs ripped out of its upper body in all directions, tearing through the vines restraining it before the creature began to drag itself forwards. Luna began to grit her teeth... but a moment later, a Nightmare appeared to either side of the halved shapeshifter, bowing their heads downwards, and black flames burst upwards around the silvery monstrosity, something clanking loudly inside the silvery beast before it shattered apart and melted quickly away into mercury. Luna's eyes flicked back towards the monstrosity in front of her that was slowly getting up even as its skull shattered away... and then there was a loud clank before it shivered, its body trembling before breaking apart and melting rapidly, the rest of the creature collapsing and quickly following suit a moment later, leaving the last Nightmare standing behind it with a hoof raised before the hell-horse whispered: "They are not of this world, nor of Helheim..." "Filled with false life, but soulless..." another Nightmare agreed, as Luna silently turned to nuzzle Antares, trying to soothe the still-crying baby, a tremble running through her even as her eyes flicked towards the Nightmare. "Mistress, we do not know where these creatures came from... they are brittle, but there may be more..." "They were like Fafnir... shapeshifters... monsters..." Twilight murmured, a shiver running through her body before she shook her head hurriedly. "We... we need to get out of here." "Yes, let us waste no time in heading home." Luna replied quietly, shaking her head briefly before she quickly started down the path, Scrivener following with a frown and Twilight bringing up the rear as the Nightmares whispered to either side of them. And for once, Luna was glad for their company, as she looked up and said quietly: "Twilight, I owe thou a debt of thanks... and Nightmares, all of thee have my gratitude as well." "It is our honor and our duty to aid in your defense, Mistress Luna... and they are creatures that we fear would threaten us whether we were allied with you or not." one of the Nightmares replied softly, and then it and the other hell-horses shivered in the darkness. "They had no life... and yet they were pervaded with such bittersweet sorrow..." "Machines..." Luna muttered, shaking her head quickly as Antares whimpered on Scrivener's side, tears still rolling down the foal's cheeks. "'Tis an awful thought, to say the very least. I do not like how this bodes for us, Scrivener Blooms, Twilight... and the resemblance to Fafnir, 'twas uncanny: their horrid, insectile presence, their single-minded purpose of destruction, even the way they shaped themselves... the only blessing is their lack of his lust for violence, but their soullessness... 'twas as vile as his madness." Scrivener grunted and nodded slowly in agreement, unable to suppress a small shudder as they continued down the path, Antares still whimpering a little but finally starting to settle as he pushed a hoof into his mouth for comfort. "They're truly that different from any shapeshifter you've seen in the past?" "Just as they were no golem. They were... too alive, for all their lack of life, does thou understand what I am saying?" Luna looked over her shoulder for a moment, and Twilight shivered and nodded, thinking of the gleaming carapaces of the creatures, the way their bodies had moved like flesh more than metal, before Luna's eyes turned back ahead and she murmured: "But the way they died... that reminded me all too clearly of Valthrudnir..." They were silent the rest of the way to the cottage, the Nightmares gradually vanishing into the darkness without a word as they made their way down the path, to scout the perimeter and ask Luna's other allies of the night if they had seen anything like the foul entities that they had just encountered. At the cottage, Scrivener and Luna quietly took their time putting Antares to bed, laying the calmed babe down in his crib, ensuring he had his pacifier and a few of his stuffed toys, and was securely tucked in as they lingered over him. Scrivener Blooms and Luna returned to the den to find Twilight waiting for them, smiling faintly, cups of coffee out and waiting for them. Luna smiled at this, but the trio remained silent, not wanting nor needing conversation right now, only desiring the comfort of each other in the long dark night that for the moment, was no friend... and held within its darkness not just everything Luna cherished, but an unknown, alien threat that Luna feared they had seen only a lingering shadow of so far. Category:Transcript Category:Story